From seed security to food security: validating ‘Triple S’ seed conservation technology in new contexts.

This flyer outlines the progress made between 2014 and 2015 regarding the validation of Triple S (Storage in Sand and Sprouting) technology in the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNPR) Ethiopia

Gender responsive communication tools and approaches for scaling the Triple S Technology in Ethiopia and Ghana

The RTB Triple S Scaling project (3S+) is a 27-month project funded by the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) and was operational in Ghana and Ethiopia. The aim of the project was to scale out the Triple S technology – a root-based vine production technology suitable for arid and semi-arid areas. Amongst the scaling strategies developed and implemented, was an outreach strategy based on three types of treatment: Core communities, informed communities, spillover communities. Subsequently, various communication tools and approaches were used for the three types of communities. Following use of these strategies, there was a need to assess their effectiveness in aiding technology dissemination, uptake and scaling. A study was designed to assess which communication methods were best suited to the needs of women and men in transmission and delivery of the Triple S innovation scaling package

Routine health management information system data in Ethiopia: consistency, trends, and challenges.

Background: Ethiopia is investing in the routine Health Management Information System. Improved routine data are needed for decision-making in the health sector. Objective: To analyse the quality of the routine Health Management Information System data and triangulate with other sources, such as the Demographic and Health Surveys. Methods: We analysed national Health Management Information System data on 19 indicators of maternal health, neonatal survival, immunization, child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis over the 2012-2018 time period. The analyses were conducted by 38 analysts from the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia, and two government agencies who participated in the Operational Research and Coaching for Analysts (ORCA) project between June 2018 and June 2020. Using a World Health Organization Data Quality Review toolkit, we assessed indicator definitions, completeness, internal consistency over time and between related indicators, and external consistency compared with other data sources. Results: Several services reported coverage of above 100%. For many indicators, denominators were based on poor-quality population data estimates. Data on individual vaccinations had relatively good internal consistency. In contrast, there was low external consistency for data on fully vaccinated children, with the routine Health Management Information System showing 89% coverage but the Demographic and Health Survey estimate at 39%. Maternal health indicators displayed increasing coverage over time. Indicators on child nutrition, malaria, and tuberculosis were less consistent. Data on neonatal mortality were incomplete and operationalised as mortality on day 0-6. Our comparisons with survey and population projections indicated that one in eight early neonatal deaths were reported in the routine Health Management Information System. Data quality varied between regions. Conclusions: The quality of routine data gathered in the health system needs further attention. We suggest regular triangulation with data from other sources. We recommend addressing the denominator issues, reducing the complexity of indicators, and aligning indicators to international definitions

Unpacking the agroclimatic challenges and determinants of sweetpotato seed conservation and multiplication strategies by smallholder farmers in Southern Ethiopia

Sweetpotato is increasingly important in sub-Saharan Africa due to its yield potential under sub-optimal growing conditions. But lack of planting material (seed) at the onset of the rains is a major constraint. This study examined smallholder strategies for sweetpotato seed conservation and multiplication, their agroclimatic determinants, and farmers’ perceived drought risk at four sites (Dilla, Chuko, Hawassa, Sodo) in Ethiopia using informant interviews, a survey of 278 households, and agroclimatic statistics. Conservation practices were dictated by farming system and agroecological conditions. The long-term mean length of dry period when multipliers must conserve seeds ranged between 103 and 131 days across sites. Seed multipliers faced high uncertainty of rainfall onset that varied from the end of February to mid-May. Estimated probabilities of moderate and severe droughts affecting seed conservation ranged from 36–75%, and 15–58%, respectively. In drier sites, age of multiplier, land-holding size, sweetpotato production experience and access to extension were positively associated with being a vine multiplier. Knowledge of indigenous conservations strategies should inform seed system intervention design

TH2.3: Scaling triple S plus: gender responsive communication approaches and tools study

This paper tackles the issue of ambient systems adaptation to users' needs while the environment and users' preferences evolve continuously. We propose the adaptive multi-agent system Amadeus whose goal is to learn from users' actions and contexts how to perform actions on behalf of the users in similar contexts. However, considering the possible changes of users preferences, a previously learnt behaviour may become misfit. So, Amadeus must be able to observe if its actions on the system are contradicted by the users or not, without requiring any explicit feedback. The aim of this paper is to present the introspection capabilities of Amadeus in order to detect users contradictions and to self-adapt its behaviour at runtime. These mechanisms are then evaluated through a case study

Glaucoma Awareness and Knowledge Among Ethiopians in a Tertiary Eye Care Center

Abstract Introduction Glaucoma outcomes are closely associated with patients’ awareness of the disease. However, little is known about glaucoma awareness and knowledge in Addis Ababa, a densely populated and ethnolinguistically diverse capital city in Ethiopia, the second largest country in Africa. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey in the ophthalmology waiting room at St. Paul’s Hospital, a tertiary care center in Addis Ababa. Respondents included patients, patient family members, and non-clinical staff. Participants were asked if they had read or heard about glaucoma to gauge basic awareness of the disease; those with awareness were asked to take a quiz to measure their objective glaucoma knowledge. We performed multivariable regression to identify factors associated with glaucoma awareness, quiz performance, and self-rated ability to use eye drops. Results Of 298 respondents, 145 (48.7%) were female, and the average age was 44.9 ± 17.2 years. A majority (167; 56.0%) had primary school or less than primary school education. Only 131 (44.0%) had basic glaucoma awareness. Of these, 95 (72.5%) knew that glaucoma causes permanent vision loss, 103 (78.6%) knew glaucoma is often asymptomatic in early stages, 62 (47.3%) identified elevated intraocular pressure as a glaucoma risk factor, and 124 (94.7%) knew glaucoma was treatable. A majority of this subset (126; 96.2%) said they would be willing to use medicated eye drops, and 130 (99.2%) indicated a willingness to undergo surgery if recommended. Education level was independently associated with glaucoma awareness (p < 0.001) and glaucoma quiz performance (p = 0.03). Conclusion In a population sample from an ophthalmology waiting room in Addis Ababa, glaucoma awareness was poor and most strongly associated with education level. Educational interventions at public health and provider-patient levels are warranted. Our results suggest high receptiveness to both medical and surgical treatment.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/173963/1/40123_2020_Article_314.pd

Roots, Tubers and Bananas: Planning and research for climate resilience

The CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) includes vegetatively propagated staple crops linked by common breeding, seed, and postharvest issues, and by the frequency with which women are involved in their production and use. RTB crops are the backbone of food security across the humid tropics in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and in more localized areas of Asia and Latin America. Around 300 million poor people in developing countries currently depend on RTB value chains for food security, nutrition and income. Climate change poses challenges which could undo progress in poverty reduction and markedly increase food insecurity. This article examines planning and research for climate resilience across RTB crops, with a particular focus on the contrasting potato and sweet potato cases in SSA. A six-step framework for climatesmart breeding is proposed: (1) downscaling climate change models and crop modeling; (2) identifying and understanding key climate change responsive traits; (3) breeding and varietal selection; (4) phenotyping and genomic research to accelerate gains; (5) developing management options for climate-smart varieties; and (6) deployment (seed systems). In summary, climate-smart breeding means we need to do what we already do but faster, better, and smarter